Western Railroad Discussion > MRL Sept. 2018 (Missoula West)

A few selections to start off my trip to Montana last month. 9/22/18 Missoula, MT and points west along MRL's 4th (I-90/Clark Fork River) and 10th (Evaro/Flathead River) Subs. Early Fall trips to Western MT are hit and miss with sun and clouds. Some days were warm, sunny and great, others cold, cloudy and drippy. The 22nd ended up increasingly drippy as the day progressed.

1-2.) In my 15 years of visiting Montana, I've never climbed Sentinel Hill above Missoula to the U of MT "M" some 620' above the surrounding city and valley. Well, scratch that item off the bucket list. Nice views of the city and the MRL yard through town!

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3-4.) Couple late morning pics of a westbound BNSF "Q" train entering the east end of the yard past the NP era depot, and a view over a departing eastbound empty grainer at MRL's "Roundhouse" from the pedestrian bridge over the tracks.

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5.) Westbound BNSF 8403 coal loads at Cyr. (MRL 4th Sub)
6.) MRL 4406/4306 a short Day Gas Local passing Superior, MT. (MRL 4th Sub)
7.) Empty BNSF coal crossing way over Fish Creek near Tarkio, MT. (MRL 4th Sub)

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8.) MRL 4408 (now taking over for an ailing 4306), plus MRL 4406 on the Night Gas at Evaro, MT. (MRL 10th Sub)
9.) MRL's Night Gas now turning into Perma, MT in the late afternoon light. (MRL 10th Sub)

More to come at a later date.

~ Mr. MRL

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Excellent photo series with conciset narratives.
Thanks for posting.
ALLEN

Gas train power is generally 4400 series ACe locos. The 4300s only show up if one of the regular units is out for inspection or servicing.

Nice collection of images.

Fantastic set of photos, makes me wish I had a week to fan the MRL and the area.

Nice pics!!

ns1000 Wrote:
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> Nice pics!!
Agree!!

Great photos Robbie! Thanks for sharing!

Great set of photos, Robbie.  I like the NP logos and MRL tankcar in the depot shot.

Rich

Thanks so much for these!  I climbed Mt Sentinel in 1979 and took similar pictures of the BN yards and also the Milwaukee which was still operating.  The picture of the depot brings back memories as the first place I ever boarded a passenger train, the NP Mainstreeter in the mid 1960s.  (by the way, have they removed the "Missoula" station sign at the west end of the depot?)  I love pictures along the "low line" between DeSmet and Paradise.

Nice series. The clouds and rolling hills in that last Night Gas shot is my favorite by far. It reminds me of my time living up in that direction. 

Art Reid
Brunswick, MD
Art's Photo Squirrel Flickr pages

Great shots!

Congrats on the IOTD!. I still believe the MRL is the nation's most scenic - end-to-end.

BB

bmarti7 Wrote:
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> Congrats on the IOTD!. I still believe the MRL is
> the nation's most scenic - end-to-end.
>
> BB

Ditto!

Larry